Delivered on Father’s Day, 2009.

Men, we have a problem. Society. It, the blob, known as, “Society,” see you as the problem. Women, children, and the whole social order have suffered because of you, and “Society” sees fit to see to you. 

Granted, there are problems in society caused by men. In Iran, today, religious men are abusing their authority to hold onto power. Slavery is a problem today, because men see fit to wrangle helpless women and girls as young as 4 into forced prostitution.

Granted.

However, men, are we the problem? Society thinks so, and wishes to metaphorically castrate us. They feel if they can take away a major part of what makes you men, your power, then the terrible abuses “Society” deems terrible will go away. Oh “Society” doesn’t want you to go away. If you go away, who else with NOW blame “Society’s” “problems on?

Scripture teaches that evil in society exits, but also teaches that simply changing the furniture in society doesn’t nip the problem in the bud. Evil in society exists because evil exists in the human heart. So, men, I’m not here to castrate us today … or really ever … unless you’re a convicted rapist. Then you deserve not only castration but death itself. Men, I’m not here to castrate you … us. I’m here simply to ask a simple question:

Men, how are we using our strength in the lives of others?

Men, I don’t want to take your strength away, as “Society” does. I want us to wash our hearts in the blood of Jesus, washing away evil and the bent towards it. I want us then to wash our hearts in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, wherein we are anointed for God’s service in the world. God doesn’t castrate, he circumcises.

You see in yesteryear a man’s manhood was defined by his attachment to his family as seen in his protection, provision, and nurturance: his fatherhood. Today, due to several factors culminating in a Hurricane Katrina for manhood, manhood is now defined apart from the family, thus apart from fatherhood. I certainly am no fan of our current President, but I absolutely love the example he sets for all races and the verbal emphases he has put on men, particularly black men, returning to the responsibilities of fatherhood.

I believe a large part of the vision God has for our country of healing for manhood is a return to embracing fatherhood as a central feature of manhood. We see a picture of this in of all places: the Book of Esther. We’ll remember Esther’s moments of glory, and we’ll take a look several pictures of fatherhood. Yes, the two are related.

Esther (aka Hadassah)

Most of us are very familiar with the heroine of the book that bears her name, “Esther.” Her Hebrew name is Hadassah. She is the lucky gal that was rounded up and shipped into the king’s harem to compete in the American Idol of her day … a chance to be queen. Truly a rags-to-riches story, she moves from obscurity to Queen of the whole of the Persian Empire.  Her famous moment is when her uncle brings her news of the planned destruction of the Jewish race … and she agrees to plead for her people on pains of death. 

Esther 4:12-17:

And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”

Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had order him (ESV).

 What makes this great is the way in which she goes about doing this. Unfortunately in our contemporary American culture, we view Esther through the lens of some Annie-Oakley-type cowgirl. She “swaggas” into the court, defying culture and custom, and lassos the king’s will into submission to her heart.

Yet, the real Esther is not exactly the vixen that we make her out to be. She has all the Jews, including herself and her court, to fast before God for three days. She then enters the court, with the possibility of losing her life. The king extends his scepter to her, which she went and touched, thus keeping protocol. He extends his beneficence to her. She only requests that the king and Haman come to the banquet she had already prepared. So, she fasted, probably prayed as good Jews do, and, while fasting, prepares a luscious banquet for her husband and potential murderer, who she must follow court protocol to even interact with. The after doing all of that she merely asks him to come to her banquet with Haman. While at the banquet, the king offers her his beneficence once again, to which she merely asks them to come to yet another banquet she will prepare for them. It is finally at the second banquet that Esther makes known her request, in very humble speech by the way, that she wishes the king to spare the lives of her and her people from Haman’s plot. Haman is then hanged and a way is made for the Jews to defend themselves against their enemies. (Read Esther 5:1-8 & 6:14-7:6.)

This is far from the way of the cowboy. This requires wisdom and precision, while seeking God’s grace. Esther is truly a woman of women and is even an example for men to follow. Yet, Esther is not who she is simply because of Esther. She is who she is because of the influence of Mordecai, her adoptive father.

Mordecai

Esther 2:5-11:

Now there was a Jew in Susa the Citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. So when the king’s orde3r and his edict were proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in Susa the citadel in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women. And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king’s palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem. Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her (ESV).

We know and love Esther for her wit, wisdom, and faith that must have carried her through her life. From where, or better yet, from whom did Esther learn all of this? Who else but Mordecai, who raised her as his own daughter? When Esther is taken into the king’s palace, Mordecai’s fatherhood goes with her. We will see Mordecai again, but let’s take a look at another man and his use of strength:

King Ahasuerus (Xerxes)

Esther 1:10-2:22:

On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.

Then the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king’s procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment, the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven porinces of Persia and Media, who saw the king’s face, and sat first in the kingdom): “According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not preformed the command of King Ahasureus delivered by the eunuchs?”

Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasureus. For the queen’s behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, ‘King Ahasureus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.’ This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the Queen’s behavior will say the same to all the king’s officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty. If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasureus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.”

This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people. After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her.  

Then the king’s young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the capital, under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them. And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.”

This pleased the king, and he did so (ESV).

Perhaps it should be stated that we live in a time and place far different from the time and place of Esther and Mordecai. Many of us read this with revulsion. Yet, God was at work behind the scenes. Is it not often true that God uses present circumstances to work his will?

We pick up with this passage in the middle of a royal orgy-fest: “And drinking was according to this edict: ‘There is no compulsion.’ For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired” (Esther 1:8; ESV).  Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the king’s harem: “the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.”

Where we pick up, the king is drunk: “When the heart of the king was merry with wine ….” He commands that Vashti come out with her crown to “show … her beauty.” We should perhaps read this as: he commanded her to come out wearing only her crown. At any rate she refuses and is deposed from being queen … though she still is owned by him. The men persuade the king to take this action out of fear of their own needs for respect.

Please remember our question at hand: Men, how are we using our strength in the lives of others?

Chapter two begins with this interesting time perspective: “After these things.” If tradition is accurate then chapters 1 & 2 are separated by many years of war with the Greeks. Xerxes (the king in this story) takes his massive armies to conquer the Greeks, and eventually suffers massive defeat. He returns and in chapter 2 “remembered Vashti.” This is perhaps not a reference to their sexual relationship. He could have had any woman in his harem he wanted. He could perhaps have called her up for a rendezvous, if she remained in his harem. No, what he remembered was most likely their companionship and became very lonely.

So a search goes throughout the entire kingdom for young virgins to be brought into the harem. It is indeed interesting that they simply did not make one of the women currently in his possession Queen. Rather they brought “talent” in from the outside. Is it possible that if Vashti remained in the harem, that he did not want to bring someone in with Vashti’s influence? Who knows? At any rate a search is made on the outside.

How did the king use his strength in the lives of those around him and within his power? Remember the Bible never condemns power. The prophets only condemned the abuse of power. So, men, how are we using our strength in the lives of others?

Haman

Esther 2:19-3:6:

Now when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him. In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows. And it was recorded in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.

After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage.

Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, “Why do you transgress the king’s command?”

And when they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai’s words would stand, for he had told them that he was a Jew. And when Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage to him, Haman was filled with fury. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, as they had made known to him the people of Mordecai, Haman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus (ESV).

As you can readily gather, we’re not simply taking a peek at Haman. Rather we’re looking at Haman against the backdrop of Mordecai. We find him “sitting at the king’s gate.” This is not simply a reference Mordecai’s practice of loitering. Rather what we have here is perhaps Mordecai participating in government, perhaps even in the Gestapo of his day.

What does Mordecai do with his strength?

  • Raises Esther as his own daughter
  • Serves in the king’s government
  • Protects the king from harm
  • Remains faithful to God: for he refused to bow because “he was a Jew.”

Haman on the other hand from this passage uses his strength to wallow in his offended pride, because Mordecai did not bow. Haman uses his strength to begin to plot not only the death of Mordecai but of the entire Jewish race. Consider the following passage portraying the pathetic state of Haman’s insecurity:

Esther 5:9-14:

And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, the he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh. And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above all the officials and the servants of the king.

Then Haman said, “Even Queen Esther let no one but me come with the king to the feast she prepared. And tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king. Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged on upon it. Then go joyfully with the king to the feast.”

This idea pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made (ESV).

Haman is pathetic to say the least. How is Haman using his strength? He is a ninny. It is indeed interesting that this passage is sandwiched between Esther’s delicate work with the king and God’s delicate work with the king.

God, their Father

In fact, let’s pick up with this idea of God being at work. Did you know that Esther is the only book of the bible that never overtly mentions the name of God? Yet, his finger prints are all over it. God as their father has his finger prints all over this tiny book. Let’s pick up with 6:1-4:

On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of the memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.

And the king said, “What honor or distinction has been done bestowed on Mordecai for this?”

The king’s young men who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.”

And the king said, “Who is in the court?”

Now Haman had just entered the outer court to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him (ESV).

Who is it, do you think, that stirred the king, so that he could not sleep? Is it not interesting that the king forgot or chose not to honor Mordecai before, which would have been unthinkable, given such a remarkable deed? Yet, here we have the king discovering this deed and the un-rewarded-ness of it, all while Haman was on the way to ask for Mordecai to swing on his gallows. And in the most humorous aspect of this work Haman is forced to carry out the honor for Mordecai that Haman thought was going to be for himself.

How does God, the Father, use his strength in this story? He is working behind the scenes with the present conditions to wrought goodness for his people and ultimately for the Medo-Persian people. He risks his reputation to bring about the most good. People were likely asking where God is in this midst of this planned genocide. On the surface he appeared to be nowhere. Yet, we see God “now here.”

Mordecai uses his strength to risk his reputation for the honor of God and to bless the people around him (Esther and the king). Though Mordecai refused to bow to Haman, he was fully loyal to the throne.  When Mordecai went unrewarded, he made no hissy fits, like Haman.  Mordecai did not get tripped up with personal quests for fame, glory, and honor. Instead he used his strength to produce godly, disciplined goodness in the lives of those around him.

This is entirely different than the pagans, King Ahasuerus and Haman, who used their strength to grab for personal power and personal gratification. This was, however the ground out of which Esther grew, taking this ethic with her into the palace. This was also the godly tradition out of which Jesus lived out his life on earth:

Philippians 2:3-8:

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (ESV).

Jesus lived out the tradition of God, the Father, Mordecai, and Esther by not grabbing for rights afforded to him by his divinity. Rather he used his strength to save the world through the shame of the cross.

Men, how are we using our strength in the lives of others?